Improvement in marine leak-signals



W. H'USTON.

Marine Leak Signal.

, Fatelntedv M arch 1,. 1864.

MM w

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HUsToN, oF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MARINE LEAK-SIGNALSI. A

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 1,777, dated March 1, 1864.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I,WILLIAM HUsToN, ofthe city of Wilmington, and State of Delaware, have 'invented ycertain new and useful Improvements in Marine Leak-Signals; and I hereby declare that the following isa true and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

' The nature of my invention consists in the use of certain devices by which a signal is given aboard a vessel When by leakage the water in the hold has risen some two inches above the usual level of the hilge-water.

Figure 1 in the annexed drawing represents a vertical section of my apparatus when in position.

The letter A designates the receiver, which consists of a tube, made of metal or any suita.

ble material, and may vary in size to suit the tonnage of the vessel. At the bottom of receiver A the hole d is made for the admission of water. The hole, being midway between the ends of Ihe receiver A, is covered with a piece of wire-cloth, to prevent the ingress ot' any substance that might prevent the free play of the water in the receiver. Over the ends of receiver A a piece of plate metal is placed and tightly soldered, so as to exclude the air. Into these top plates the air-tubes B are inserted. The tubes B have a piece of plate metal soldered across the opening at the upper end, through which a small hole, d, is made, thus forming a common whistle. The alarm or signal may be given by inserting a horn on the mouth-piece of a clarionet in the hole abovedescribed. The air-tubes are bent at right angles to the receiver, and extend to the captains cabin, or to any other part of the vessel desired.

When the apparatus is completed, as above described, it is placed transversely inthe vessel between the skin and ceiling of the vessel and in a vertical position. The receiver A is placed between the skin and ceiling of the vessel, the vertical ends extending up the sides ot' the vessel, the air-tubesB commencing at the ends of the receiver A and running beneath the deck until they reach the desired point. The apparatus being thus in position, and the vertical ends of it secured permanently to the sides of the vessel, it Willbe seen that the slightest depression of either side of the vessel, from the. action of wind or Wave, will cause'the water to rise in the receiver on that side, and the compression of the air will be such as to force it violently through the airtube, and thus produce a sharp, penetrating sound, well-calculated to arouse a person from the profoundest sleep. As the vessel rocks to and fro, each air-tube will be alternately au exhaust tube and a receiver, and consequently the whistle will be repeated at every change.

Having thrs described my invention, what I c1aim,and de ire to secure by Letters Patent,

The receiver A, the air-tubes B, the whistle c, constructed with the hole d, the whole arranged in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

WILLIAM HUSTON:

Witnesses H. N. WIcIrERsHAM, I. VAN TRUMP. 

